The lion population in Mali forms part of the Niokolo-Guinea lion area that includes parts of Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Senegal. The total lion population across the area of 90,384km2 is believed to be less than 50 individuals. The population of Boucle du Baoule NP (only thought to contain 2 - 4 lions) is now believed to be extinct.

The Lion Conservation Strategy for the Lion in Eastern and Southern Africa suggested the following lion conservation units as being within, or partly within Kenya:

LCU Name

IUCN LCU No.

IUCN LCU Type

Estimated Lion Population Size

Population Trend

Boucle Baoule

2

III

30 - 50

v

Niokiolo-Guinea

1

I

500 - 1,000

^

“Lion Conservation Units; areas of known of probable lion range that can be considered an ecological unit of importance for lion conservation…LCU’s were categorized as viable (class I), potentially viable (class II) or significant but of doubtful viability (class III), based on population size, prey base, level of threats and habitat quality”

“Assessment mode C: The estimated population figures are produced by experts' opinions usually based upon first-hand information, sometimes on "guesstimates" drawn from available information. Minimum and maximum figures are calculated with a 30% error on the estimate.”

“Few lions are left in Mali where they used to be numerous. They disappeared from most of their former range, such as along the Niger River in the Gao area and the Gourma region where they were responsible of frequent losses of livestock (B. des Clers, pers. comm.)...Today, lions only occur in the South-western part of the country. The main remaining subpopulation lies on the Guinean border in the Haut-Bafing and Haut-Bakoy regions.”

Chardonnet P (ed.) (2002) Conservation of the African Lion: Contribution to a Status Survey. International Foundation for the Conservation of Wildlife, France & Conservation Force, USA.

2002a

Bauer & van der Merwe (pulished in 2004)

Area

Lion Range Surface (km2)

Pop Min

Pop Est

Pop Max

Assessment Mode

National

Not Given

25

50

75

5

Assessment mode 5: “Estimate ±50%, with a ‘best guess’ based on short visits and secondary data, such as prey or hyaena numbers, size of area, rainfall and other factors (East, 194; Van Orsdol et al., 1985)”

Principle Threats

Pressures on land use from increasing human populations leading to continued fragmentation of the remaining suitable habitat coupled with indiscriminate killing in defense of life and livestock and prey base depletion are recognized as being the principle causes for their decline.

Trade in Lions

Number of wild source lions estimated in international trade, 1999-2008: 0
Average annual wild source trade as percent of population size*: 0* Used average of Chardonnet (2002) and Bauer & van der Merwe (2004) studies

Place J, Flocken J, Travers W, Waterland S, Telecky T, Kennedy C, Goyenechea A (2011) Petition to list the African Lion (Panthera leo leo) as endangered pursuant to the US Endangered Species Act. The International Fund for Animal Welfare, The Born Free Foundation, The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International, Defenders of Wildlife (pdf)

Lions in Culture

The founder of Mali, Sundiata Keita, (c. 1217 – c. 1255) was also known by the name Sogolon Djata. Jata means “lion”, whereas Sogolon means “daughter of a buffalo”. His grandchild, Mansa Musa who later took the throne, became known as the Lion King because of his alleged power and strength (html)